Finding time in my schedule to be able to produce prime content like blog posts has been a bit tough; I know it is my fault. For a year I have been struggling to prove to myself and the world that I am an artist. From the data I have collected across social media platforms, websites, youtube (which kinda counts as Social media) and asking questions to anyone I can find that sells in their own independent shop. To make art full time and be able to apply my whole creative side to painting would be like heaven. Making money is that earthly concept that keeps us all grounded and seemingly unable to attain our dreams.

I guess I was just waiting til I had something useful to say. 

This summer I tried very hard to understand business principles that have alluded me for what feels like a century. Galleries and other marketplaces want me to believe that there is only one way to sell art and that, unfortunately, is through their platform/ in their control. While I do want to have a physical location for my creative mind to merchandise, I do not feel comfortable, nor do I see the logic in giving another place a huge portion of my profits only to have the gallery or marketplace not promote me, as an artist, but use me to promote their gallery, as a business.  So I am looking for more information about how other artists make their living as such. How do you gain a following large enough to sustain consistent sales? Is it appropriate to actually sell work to potential buyers, or should I just be friendly and thank them for complements, hoping my kindness will be met with a sale? 

I made a few mistakes. I definitely paid for way too much advertising before really knowing the tool well enough. Did you know that ads have a weird glass ceiling? They are designed to keep you at the level you are currently at. If you have more clients and buyers, ads will bring you more buyers. If that is not the case, you might get clicks, but rarely any bites. But there has to be a system that works. One that doesn’t require heavy fees, sacrificing my progress as a creative, or making me feel like I have officially sold my soul to an algorithm that might divert attention to others tomorrow.

Very stressful. But I need to figure out how to have a positive balance in my business account. I need to prove that I do not only have an expensive hobby.

If this post hits anyone who has an answer, drop me a comment, find me on instagram and send me messages. I feel like I am standing on a single post, above a floor of lava, inches away from a stairway to heaven…or, in this case, becoming a practicing artist who makes money from his resulting products. 

Are my prices too high? Too low? Are my products not meeting the quality standards that most museum gift shops offer? I need a very direct set of rules and obligations that are designed to help me make sales before the end of Q4. Any one out there want to buy a print and talk about it? 

I don’t want to feel like some sort of sideshow, making content to feed the nothing. I need some real talk. Where do I post for maximizing buying potential? What do I offer to my customers to improve relationships?